New Dawn
by XteamXedwardX
Summary: A story from Leah's POV. What would happen if she finally started to get over Sam? Leah learns that there's nothing she can do to change the past, but looks forward for the future. She might even imprint, who knows? Horrible at summaries, sorry!
1. Unfair Justice

_Note: I do not own Twilight, any of its sequels, or any of its wonderful characters; Stephenie does._

Unfair Justice

You wouldn't believe me if I told you how unbearable it was being Leah Clearwater. You wouldn't understand the pure insanity of my mind as I watch the pity through my own brother's eyes. _His_ eyes. Everyone's eyes. If I could escape—escape to anywhere but here—even for a second of my unthinkably long life, it would still be agonizing. Would they judge me if I ran? Would they even care?

Yeah, they would care. They would care because for once their minds would be free of my intolerably annoying thoughts. My heartthrob would be gone from their minds and they could accomplish their job in peace of me for a split second. Even miles away they would still know, though. They would still see through my eyes and still see the reasons for running. Would it matter? Probably not.

I let my thoughts get away from me, pulling my attention to a hawk circling its prey from the skies above. Its wings spread out several feet, picking up the wind as it blew by and making the creature glide gently through its oval shaped pattern. Eventually it flew away from my cliff's edge, carrying its struggling prize in its sharp talons. I felt sympathy for the poor life that was diminishing to almost nothing and soon would become a meal. How sad it must be… being the prey, not the predator.

My gold eyes watched the hawk's silent escape. I envied it. Being able to leave whenever it pleased, not having to worry about its thoughts being interrupted by frustrating pack members. I missed those times. The times where my thoughts were the only ones I could hear.

The swells of the ocean crashed on the shore below, jogging me back into a reality my body wasn't quite caught up with yet. I shook my large head, clearing the obtrusive thoughts from the corners of my mind. It would take all my determined concentration to hide the pestering thoughts and opinions from the others. But for now, I was alone. Which, in itself, was a reward.

The others must be off having lunch at Emily's, I told myself. Though I did not feel like eating quite yet, I would join them in time.

Emily Young. My cousin. What joy it will be sitting in her home, watching the love of my life never take his eyes off her. I gagged—if a wolf could gag—throwing my head to the side and sticking out my tongue. Why did I deserve this torture and agony? What had I done in my past lives that would call for this unfair justice?

Stupid werewolves. Stupid imprinting.

I was so ready, so willing to finally imprint. To finally let the hurt disappear and have someone who could really understand the harm I was feeling. Jacob Black did, but he was always too busy pining after Bella Swan.

The leech lover.

I rolled my great eyes at the irony in the situation. Werewolves, put on this Earth to rid the land of the evil called Vampires. Vampires, put on this Earth to haunt the darkness of the humans and to suck the blood of the innocent. Bella Swan, put on this Earth to fall in love with both, hurting the ones who love her truly in the process.

Me? Put on this Earth to obsess after Sam Uley, the Alpha of our pack, my ex boyfriend, and the love of my too long life. And whom did he love? At one point, the answer to that question could have quite possibly been me. Now apparently it was Emily, his soul mate. One minute, he was promising to always love me, the next minute, I was old news and he was in love with my cousin.

_Oh joy_, I thought.

My stomach grumbled aggravatingly as I realized I hadn't eaten anything since dinner the night before. As if on cue, a small forest rabbit jumped from a bush a few hundred feet away. In human form, I probably wouldn't have second glanced the creature, let alone hear the soft rustle of the movement. But as a wolf, my instincts made my head snap in the rabbit's direction. I unwilling licked my lips hungrily. I did need to eat before my turn on patrol but I had no desire to eat raw. Ew.

I might as well be honest with myself, because they would see every little regretful thought in my head when they rejoined me in a few short hours. I was not cut out for this werewolf life. Billy Black once said that I was more wolverine than wolf, and I am starting to agree with the old coot. I hated the taste of raw meat, I preferred mine cooked medium well, thank you very much. And I very much did not want to join them at Emily's to eat. That would be just as painful—if not worse. Imagine having to sit there and watch them stare into each other's eyes, watching Sam grieve for the once beautiful face of my cousin. Even after he tore half her face to shreds, she still loved him. Okay, maybe I was jealous of the bond they shared. Anyone would be. But even the guys had to admit that witnessing the mushy scene a million times, for a million reasons could become maddening. I avoided any occasion that would catch me in the same room with my cousin and Sam and now I was officially a bridesmaid. Great.

Fine, I resented them when they were apart, too. Was that so horrible? After almost quite literally feeling the despair of him slipping through my fingers, could I not grieve for the vision that had been so close to becoming my reality?

I knew I was a pest to the pack, and I knew it well. Annoying. Impatient. Whiney. I did feel guilty for causing my brother's grief. They might not have thought me capable of that, but I knew _some_ of them understood.

You could ask any one of my brothers, and they would tell you that life is so unjust exactly when it's your turn to get what you want. Okay, maybe not all of them might explain it exactly in those words. Especially not my little brother, Seth. He runs his mouth 24/7 and still everyone loves him and his personality. Seth's always looking for a fight, whether its to release anger from a day of hard work or just for . . . _fun_. I shuddered at the thought. Since when was fighting and killing fun?

Ah, but that was Seth for you. Always calm. Perhaps I would have developed a better character if Sam had not broken my heart, barely taking the time to make sure the shards were fixable. I suppressed a sigh. I highly doubted it.

Miles away, a wolf howled; the sound made me jump and I automatically scanned the forest border for any sign of danger. I cocked my head slightly, wondering where the sound had come from. If it had been one of my brothers, I would have recognized the call immediately. Was a wolf injured? I hoped not. I gazed back over across the horizon, the piercing sun stinging my eyes.

_Come eat, Leah. _Sam's voice was abrupt, but still calm and quiet. Just a whisper in my subconscious.

_Later, _I said. I would rather sit in my nasty slum than have to face the wrath of the beloved couple but I would never tell Sam that.

_Is something wrong?_

What kind of question was that? Did it _look_ like something was wrong? Yes, I answered his question silently to myself—avoiding the area of my mind that was invaded by trespassers. Everything. Everything is wrong these days. But I could not let him know that. So, I lied. _No._

He didn't reply, nor did I assume he wanted to. Sam kept his distance from me most days, only talking and thinking to me about new strategies. The others did the fighting while I did the running. He reserved my skills for the long distance chases. If by some off chance a vampire escaped the clutches of our pack, Sam sent me after the party. I could fight, but I was relatively small and that meant the boys bothered about me getting my bones crushed by some parasite. I was larger than most average female wolves, of course, but so much slighter than the rest of my brothers. They all towered over me, impertinent about my size. It's not like I could do anything about it either. Those that have the gene thrust upon them don't have any choices in the matter. We are what we are. I cannot go to a gym and work out to beef up or make myself any more superior so I can stand a chance next to my brothers. I was stuck forever as the smallest Quileute werewolf.

A sudden flash of life was sent through my body as I recalled the other visitor in my mind. I grudgingly waited silently while my vision became blurred and I focused on the scene Sam was voicelessly making a commotion about in my head.

Through my eyes, I could see what he saw. And I saw a vision. A vision of us. Of what our life together would have been like if he had not imprinted on my cousin. If he had not broken every promise he had ever made to me, went back on every commitment, second-guessed every decision. I knew he felt guilty, utterly revolted with himself but it did not change the matter at hand. I wore his betrayal like a neon sign, and I knew how every person who had ever heard my story viewed me. I was the pitiful girl, unwilling to let go of past wrongs and the treachery situated on my shoulders. Sam still saw a beautiful young woman, filled with a compassion and friendliness that had long been pushed under the surface. I grimaced as he pressed the remorseful memories on me.

I snarled, large tears spilling over leisurely at the brim of my dark eyes. This werewolf could not take the painful blow that left a stinging awareness in the pit of her gut as she watched the future she'd never have. If there's one thing I discovered, it's that you will always get burned but you never get enough.

_I'm sorry, _he sighed but made no attempt to stop the rush of reminiscences.

Why was he torturing me like this? How much will power did Sam think I had in me? I scowled, replacing my agonizing expression with one of frustration.

Sam shook his head slowly. _I am sorry, Leah. For everything. You must realize what it feels like seeing the accusation in your eyes everyday; it's agony. _His piercing eyes penetrated the very gates to my soul as if he could see _every _little detail. Every vision I fantasize about, every memory, every thought I've ever withheld from him. I grimaced at the very thought, though he seemed not to have noticed my reaction. He continued, _but I cannot change what's done, Leah, please try to understand that. I am marrying you're cousin and you are a _bridesmaid_. Do you really want to be the one everyone stares at because you ruined your cousin's wedding? I know that's not who you really are, Leah. Not the girl I fell in love with in high school. I still love you, Leah, though it's not in the way you might hope. I'm sorry…_

I couldn't reply to his plea. I couldn't make the thoughts appear in my head. I wanted him out of my subconscious _now._ Sam seemed to understand but I could easily tell he was reluctant to leave. He hadn't said that much to me about our situation since my werewolf gene was triggered; he was afraid of my reaction. My body did not respond to the supplication in a way I thought it would. It stayed still, calm… Though I could feel the urge to run as far from this dreaded place as I could manage creeping up on my nerves. Where had Jacob run to cope? Northern Canada?

We both sat quiet for a few minutes. Sam was probably contemplating whether or not I would need a shoulder to cry on. Would he call Sue? My mother knew me well, though. She would know that I would come to her if I really needed that shoulder. And I was grateful for once that I was a werewolf. I knew I was only this calm because wolves could handle rash emotions better then humans. I knew I would not combust of tears just yet. I would wait until my thoughts were secure behind locked doors and I was a pretty young girl again . . . not a scruffy—but cute—grey wolf.

_Come home when you're ready. But remember you have patrol with Quil tonight. _Sam's awareness drifted off and I comprehended that he was phasing back to give me whatever privacy I could find. I nodded. Thankful. All I needed was some peace and quiet in the safety of my mind.

I considered his last words carefully. It was an order, no doubt. I could feel the Alpha's command radiating off every word still implanted in my memory. Ugh. Patrol… At least I was accompanying Quil. Fun loving Quil. He was still so jazzed up about being apart of the pack, though he had come to realize his heritage before Seth and I. I could feel the corners of my mouth pull up into a hint of a smile. Maybe Quil's positive, laid-back attitude could save me from slipping off the edge I was clinging to inside my head. If he could, then I would be forever in his dept.

With that thought in mind, and only that thought, I raced off in search of him. Grateful for any escape that would rid my mind of the pestering leftover feelings for Sam Uley.

_Hi!! Thanks so much for reading my very first fanfiction :D Hope you enjoyed it. I'll be putting up another chapter very soon, so no worries!! Please leave lots of reviews!!_


	2. Playful Antics

Playful Antics

_Quil, what's it like?_ I walked a little further, sniffing for any evidence of recent invaders. Our patrol had lasted two hours now, and still no lead on anything new.

Farther back Quil paused, his beady eyes staring at the back of my head, his own head cocked vaguely in confusion. _What do you mean?_

_Imprinting. What does it feel like?_

I knew the random question would catch him off guard, and I was right. He froze a few yards behind me; I could hear his joints lock together as he skidded to halt in puzzlement. His thoughts searching for the reasons why I would need to know such an answer. To be honest, I wasn't sure myself . . . but some urge made me ask the question. Quil has already imprinted on Emily's niece, Claire. And Claire is only 3-years-old! How weird was that? The two of them were living proof that imprinting could happen at any time, any place, with anybody. Okay, so I wanted to know just in case it did happen to me. Just in case I needed an explanation. Was that a bad thing? I guess I could only wonder.

Quil's mind was still trying to work out the motive behind the startling question and I coughed back a laugh at this dumbfounded expression.

_You okay, Quil? _I chuckled.

My voice must have jump-started his brain again because before the question was out of my subconscious, he had sprinted up next to me. I could tell his eyes were sparkling with confusion, but I did not expect his reply. His alarm became anger, his ears flattened against his head and he spoke with a vicious attitude. _What's it to ya?_

I rolled my eyes. Was everything a secret these days? _Why? Is the information . . . confidential? _I scoffed, imagining a Mission Impossible scene, making sure he heard the sarcasm in the thought.

This irked him._ It's private. You know, privacy? That little concept where a guys thoughts are safe inside his head?_

_Since when were your thoughts ever safe inside that giant head of yours, Quil?_

_Before _you_ came._

Ouch. I flinched away from the comment. Apparently I wasn't going to get that answer. Or that fun loving attitude I went searching for. Ah, well, if he was going to play _that_ game…

_Well, aren't you just a happy leetle puppy today, Mr. Grouchy Pants? _I flashed him a devious smile as I sat back on my haunches.

He growled, his teeth snapped together roughly. _Shut up, Leah._

_Make me._

My instincts were yelling at me to stop. To get out of the hole I was digging myself in. If Quil did decide to make me shut up, he could do it easily. Piece of cake. How much larger was Quil than me? In wolf form, he stood at least a foot taller, towering over my head. He stared me down, his intense glare burning a hole in my forehead. I did not falter one bit, though. No one intimidated me anymore, and especially not Quil. I gazed up at him, wagging my tail. _Wook at me, _I thought. _I'm Qwil, the leetle puppy! Some one pway fetch wid me!_

I let my tongue roll out of my mouth, hanging between my teeth as Quil snarled, crouching into a fighting position.

_I said shut up, Leah._

_And I said make me, Quil, but since you aren't going to, I suppose I'll continue._

I knew it was wrong to provoke him like this. And I knew I should stop before Sam—I cut that thought off cold, declining the need to let it come to a finish. The whole stinking point of getting over him was to not think about the guy. Oh, great. Just flipping great. With him in mind, my enthusiasm dwindled and my fun became anything but.

I was still aware of Quil's infuriated gaze as I dropped my head in shame. _Sorry, if I was being a pain in the neck, Quil. I was just joking around, seriously._

Quil straightened up, sitting back on his haunches as well. He didn't reply but looked around him into the surrounding forest. His thoughts were focused on Claire, worrying if she was hungry, cold, bored, upset. He was more obsessed than any overbearing mother. It was as if he hadn't even heard my apology. Why did this annoy me? No idea, but it did.

_Hello? Earth to Quil!_

He snapped his head around to face me. _What?_

_Did you hear me?_

_Yes._

_And…?_

_I want to know why you asked the question in the first place, _he said.

Hmph. I had been waiting for this. Everyone expected the worse from me, but I did not understand why it was such a crime to be curious. We all new what had happened, what had taken place, seen it play out thousands of times in his mind. And yet, no one really knew what it felt like unless you had witnessed the sensation for yourself. And since no one was imprinting on me any time soon . . . I was just sincerely interested.

_I just wanted to understand… That's all._

_But did you ever stop to consider that info could be private?_

I hesitated and then sighed, resigning. _No. I didn't._

_Isn't it obvious, Quil? She's self-absorbed._ I gasped, not even realizing that there had been another being listening in on our discussion. _I mean, really, Quil. What other reason is there? _The new conscious added his two cense again as I rolled my eyes for the millionth time. It seemed like that was all I did lately.

Of course, Quil was only too thrilled with the new addition to the conversation. _Seth! My brother! Where are you?_

We both could see that he was a few miles away to the south, running to join us. I laughed at my little brother. He was running as fast as his legs could manage, his tongue hanging out of this mouth as he raced to our resting place.

_Hey, little brother, you're getting faster_, I thought. _Maybe soon you'll be able to stand a chance in a race against me._

_Ha ha ha, very funny, Leah. I could take you blindfolded. _He sucked in a deep breath, pretending to be the macho man he thought he was.

I shook my head, disagreeing. _I wish you could see yourself, Seth. It's taking all your concentration not to run into a tree._

Quil laughed when Seth snorted in response, almost tripping and proving my notion correct. I bumped paws with Quil as he chortled; almost rolling on the ground in contagious sweeps of laughter. Oh, sweet victory. Seth growled, tuning us out as well as he could control and slowing to a walk, almost to the little clearing already. I stood to greet him, shaking out my fur as I stood. His steady footsteps were soft on the dry fallen leaves covering the forest floor, his tail sweeping the path of his paw prints as he strut into the small opening. I listened contently to Seth's thoughts about pushing himself harder to beat me in races and I smiled, amused with his light efforts. I met him halfway, nudging his shoulder out of affection and just about knocking him over by accident. He recovered quickly, though, head butting me back. I noted how gently he pushed me, knowing exactly that he was considering the fact he could really hurt me if he tried. Again, my brothers were always worrying about my size compared to theirs. I attempted to not let it bother me, even if my struggles usually failed miserably.

_Good grief, you two! You're worse than Sam and Emily, and you aren't even getting married! _Quil shook his head in awkwardness, laughing quietly to himself as if we missed some kind of inside joke.

Seth surprised tackled him and sent him flying into a tree. _Oops, my bad. I tripped._

_Why, you little… _Quil lunged at Seth, tackling him to the ground and pretending to bite a chunk out of his burly shoulder. They wrestled for a while, maximizing the drama when they pretended to tear the crap out of each other.

I ignored the rough housing puppies as I listened strongly to the sounds of the forest. The birds chirped mildly to one another, their soft lullabies running from branch to branch of the many trees. Other animals scurried for shelter as the light rain gently hit the earth, covering the land in overcast. My ears picked up the slightest of movement from within the trees and my head snapped up at the tiny sound. I immediately wondered if another one of my brothers had decided to join us, maybe making sure we were done with the patrol. I focused my attention to the thoughts jumping around in my subconscious, listening intensely for any sign of another conscious's thoughts. Nothing, not a peep. My subconscious was completely empty of thoughts beside Seth's, Quil's, and mine.

The sound stirred again and this time I turned my whole body in the direction of the movement. I wasn't prepared for the stench that hit me like a bulldozer, like a stampede of rampaging elephants. I lurched back, crinkling my nose as the sweetest, most disgusting smell filled my nostrils. I shook my head and cleared my mind of the ridiculously syrupy smell. Only one word could describe the horrendous unpleasant aroma. Vampire.

Seth and Quil weren't paying any attention to my thoughts at all, their minds only focused on the fake fight. I dove between them, dividing them apart and snapping my teeth in aggravation. _Guys, can you please shut it? We have company._

I waited impatiently while they ran through my memory, watching the scene, hearing the scattered movements, and smelling the awful odor. _Vampire_, their thoughts echoed instantaneously, agreeing with my early conclusion.

Our minds automatically zoned in as the instincts took over our minds and bodies. _Quil, call Sam and the others. Seth and I will follow the scent._

He nodded without argument, already raising his snout to the sky. His howl pierced the quiet peace of the forest as Seth and I took off in the direction of the path we would have to follow, the ground flying away beneath our paws. The howl ricocheted off the trees and rocks behind us, disturbing the creatures of the woods, and alerting the pack of the danger only a few miles off the beaten path.

One by one, another conscious poured into the connection the pack was linked with. Their thoughts ran through our heads as Seth and I ran on.

_Yes! A fight!_

_Finally, some action!_

_What if it's a Cullen?_

_The Cullen's know better than to trespass on our land without permission. It has to be a rogue!_

_Kill, kill, kill!_

They continued on as such, in dispute about which position movements would make the fight easier for all of us. Most of them were leagues behind Seth and I, some even stayed behind being ordered by Sam to spread out and make sure the bloodsucker didn't get past our defenses.

The scent grew stronger as we got closer to our target. Closing in on our prey with ease. We slowed, avoiding all sound that could give us away as we closed the distance between us. Seth was practically jumping with excitement beside me, his fur standing on end and his ears flattening against his head as the smell reached his own nostrils. We walked a little further and our keen ears picked up the sound of the leech. It was out of our sight range, hidden behind an old tree. The trunk of the ancient tree was approximately two feet in diameter and I inched forward. The wolf's nerves wanted to fight, to attack without pause. I shot Seth a glance and warned him with my thoughts to get behind me and to watch my back.

I peeked around the tree; thankful the parasite's back was turned. I wrinkled my nose as another wave of the fragrance hit me. Yep, definitely a bloodsucker. It was simple to tell the creature was male. His back was strong and straight, though he was standing over a dead deer, wiping the back of his wrist across his mouth. At the base of the deer's neck was a small incision, where the parasite's deadly sharp teeth had penetrated the skin and flesh. I restrained from gagging at the image; the scene was so repulsively wrong in so many ways. The deer's now never-ending expression was one of fear and confusion and I instantly felt compassion for the lost life. _Poor creature_, _its life was extinguished without so much a second thought._

_What are you waiting for, Leah? Finish it! _Sam's angry snarl vibrated louder and fiercer than any of the other frustrated thoughts pulsating inside my head. His command was final and even miles away, his bright gold eyes locked with mine. They were wide with anger, annoyed with my sympathy for a life that no longer mattered, maybe never did. I didn't want to disappoint him again, not like I always did. I didn't want them to think me weak because of my size. I _was_ capable of killing . . . and I would should them just how wrong their opinions of me were.

I did not look back to see Seth's anxious gaze, I didn't think about the deed, I let the vital killing instincts take over my sense of thought and feeling. Let the mighty beast inside me decide what my next move would be. This is what we did, why we were here. I hated vampires for the sake of humanity, for my family. This killer, this murder, would have his life ended just like he slaughtered his innocent victims. Without all the vile blood drinking, I added as in afterthought.

I did not even second-guess the decision before I was racing, lunging for the creature's throat.

_Ohhhhhh, cliffhanger! Muahahahahahahahahahahahhhh chokes and coughs uh, well, anywayyyy…. Review!! Please!! :D_


	3. Unusual Behavior

_I'm really sorry it takes me so long to update, you guys! I just like to get my writing perfect so everyone will like the story :) I'll try to get better at getting the chapter's up faster as the story progresses, I promise! Anyway, hope you guys enjoy the third chapter of __**New Dawn**__!_

Unusual Behavior

The next series of events happened so quickly that I barely blinked in time to catch them.

The creature whipped his body around at the sound of my approach but his reflexes didn't react in time to jump out of the way before I was flying into him. The impact was like running full force into a brick wall. Well, damn. The stupid leech might end up giving me bruises. Was everyone hard as bricks nowadays? And what really caught me off guard were his unusually beautiful eyes.

Those crystal pale blue eyes . . . I lost my train of thought as my body collided with his, which meant I had lost my train of focus. My body reacted to the clash in a way I had not expected and I phased. Before I could stop the morph, though, I was a twenty-year-old woman and I was lying on a bloodsucking vampire. _And _I was naked! Ew! I _soooooo_ could have puked my guts out by the contact. I didn't really care who saw me naked now, all my brothers had to live through the days when they had gotten to see my bare naked body, the bloodsucker could deal for a few seconds. But as I pushed myself up as fast I could possibly manage, my eyes locked with his and the unthinkable happened.

I could feel the invisible bond forming between this stranger and me and I could feel the braces holding me to this Earth being lifted from my shoulders. _Poof, poof, poof! _The useless feelings I had for Sam evaporated in an instant, just like I had willed them to do so many times but always failed at the attempt. _Poof, poof, poof!_ Emily and Sam's relationship, their wedding, my broken heart, they all just . . . _vanished. _I felt like I was floating as my endless amount of pain and torturing disappeared inside of me. I might not have been healed—no, I would never be healed completely—but I could tell instantly that Sam's betrayal would not bother me anymore, ever.

And then as I forgot about the suffering and pain, all I could see was _him._ The stranger. And worst, the _vampire._

_Leah! No! _My mind yelled at me as if I could control the linking that was taking place. I consciously tried to struggle out of the trance I seemed to be set so deeply in and I attempted to be pull away from his mesmerizing gaze. Why? Why was this happening to me, and _now_ of all times!

Sure, I was fully ready to imprint and sure, this had been what I wanted a few hours ago . . . but I definitely did not want to imprint with my sworn enemy! How was I suppose to love a leech? How could I handle it? I wanted to run from here, to get away from the spell that was settling over us. But I knew there was no running from this stranger anymore.

He seemed to be just as entranced as I was, and for once I looked at the creature as more then a leech, bloodsucker, or parasite (I know! I'm absolutely shocked with myself). He was inhumanly beautiful. His skin sparkled as the overcast of clouds cleared away from the sky. His eyes glistened as he, too, understood what was happening between us. Like magnets, our bodies shivered in reaction and I felt myself lurch towards him unconsciously.

But then I was flown backwards, landing on my butt with a soft _oomph._ A growl surfaced from the throat of the tackler and I saw Seth standing protectively in front of me. I remembered my pack just then, looking around into the trees of the forest. I gasped at what I saw. Every last member of our pack was lined in a semi-circle, all of them ready for the attack. The feeling punched my gut immediately as I thought of the outcome if they were to kill him and the overwhelming emotions closed my throat.

_He. Cannot. Die._

I commenced myself into a standing position, just barely aware of the fact that I was standing on two legs—two very, _very _shaky legs at that. I walked forward slightly and then it seemed as if all eyes were on me. And that's when I remembered that I was completely naked. I had never done well under intense spotlight and this certainly was no exception, but I put that out of my mind. I pulled on the small sundress I kept tied to my ankle, ignoring the watchful gazes of the men surrounding me. Yeesh, it was like they'd never seen a naked woman before. I could not think about that now, though. So, I didn't. I had no idea, not one measly thought, as I silently walked out from behind Seth and planted myself in front of the vampire. I stood my guard. They would _not_ get pass.

Was I really going to protect what I had sworn to myself I would destroy? I sighed, inching my legs forward. Yes, yes I was totally going to stand up to my brothers and defend this leech. I flinched at my internal thoughts. He wasn't a leech anymore as much as I hated to admit it. If I couldn't be honest with myself, how I was going to ever explain what I was about to do?

More growls interrupted my internal babbling. I turned my head, surprised with myself that I didn't care as I watched Sam emerge from the trees. His was still in wolf form, of course. He would never let down his guard in front of a vampire, let alone a strange vampire.

Speaking of which…

I turned to face him for the first time since our bonding stare had been broken. Our eyes met and I instantly felt the mesmerizing pull. Again. Staring into his eyes, I was weirdly peaceful and oddly at ease. My pack had to understand, right? They just couldn't judge me too harshly on an event I couldn't control. I had faith in my brothers; they would understand.

I hadn't noticed the sandy blond hair that fell just in front of this vampire's eyes but that just added to the beauty I'd never seen in any other creature. I could feel the corners of my lips tilt downward in a small frown. There was no hiding that I was not happy with the fact that I had—I gulped as I thought the word—_imprinted _on a vampire (my enemy! Gah!), but I knew that if it was fate, then there was a reason behind this blasphemy.

Someone's jaws snapped loudly behind me, forcing my attention away from the vampire in front of me. I forced a painted smile to appear on my face for the stranger and mouthed, "Hold on a second." His eyes glanced up quickly to the canopies of the trees and then just as fast flew down to look at the ground. And only I knew, he was replying to my voiceless words. Okay, this was just too creepy.

I faced my brothers and did not like what I saw. Sam's eyes blazed with fire, a fire that burned with hate for the being behind me. This really annoyed me.

My eyes flashed to Seth's face as he whimpered nervously, taking off into the trees. He wasn't running, I knew him better than that; he was going to try and talk some sense into me . . . or relay a message from Sam. Either outcome would be just fantastic.

My little brother surfaced from the trees in only a few seconds time. He held his arms out, palms facing me and it was an obvious sign that he meant me no harm. I sighed, annoyed. Did everyone think I was going to bite their heads off? Maybe my face held a frustrated expression, maybe confusion, because I knew that is exactly what I was feeling.

"Leah," Seth's voice rang in my ear like a bell, though it was filled with nervousness and puzzlement. Huh. Go figure. "What's going on?"

I shot an anxious glance back at the vampire standing behind me. Hell, I didn't even know the guy's name. "I—I don't know, Seth." It was not all a lie. I really had no clue about how to handle my situation, but I was leaving out one big, important fact.

Then all I wanted was for my brothers to understand and accept it. I wanted them to see it through my eyes and I wanted to be able to confide in my little brother.

"I imprinted on him," I blurted before I had a chance to stop myself.

Seth's eyes could not have grown any wider. "What!"

"I said, I imprinted on him," I gestured back towards the vampire.

Sam's voice pierced through my skin in a thousand different places, sending a mix of emotions flowing through my mind. "What are you talking about, Leah? You seriously could not have imprinted on this—this _parasite._" He scoffed like the very thought was impossible.

The hair on my arm stood up at the icy tone in his voice. I could hear his footsteps walk towards me and I felt a tear slide down my hot cheek. Why could he not be happy for me? I had finally gotten over him, finally moved on, and he spoke as if he thought I was better off drooling over him again. No, this wasn't my fault. This had not been my will.

I snapped my head around to meet his eyes. "I seriously could have. And I'm pretty positive I did. Do you have a problem with that, Sam? You should know what it feels like to imprint." I flipped my insanely dark brown hair over my shoulder and stood tall, acting like I owned the place.

"He's your enemy," he hissed. "It's unnatural."

"For once I completely agree with you."

"Then why are you acting like you wanted to protect the leech?"

Did he understand nothing? "Because, I _imprinted_ on him, Sam. And the last time I checked, that meant you had an unbreakable bond with your imprint. Much like you do with Emily." I let the words hang in the air. "You no longer have to deal with the accusation in my eyes anymore, but you don't sound relieved at all. Would you rather me continue chasing after you, Sam?"

He didn't answer.

"Would you?" My voice was on the edge of breaking. This was so not what I had wanted.

"No." And it was the truth, I could tell that easily from the torn expression in his eyes.

"I'm sorry, Sam. You know I wouldn't have chosen this…"

Once again, he did not answer me but stared at me as if I was an outcast. An unwelcome enemy that he knew would not harm La Push, so he would let me go and try not to give me grief. Too bad I knew that Sam could never not give me grief; it's just what he lived for—to make me grieve over him unfortunately. Sam did not even glance back; he just turned his body around, phasing as he took a couple steps away from me into the forest. And with a silent command I could not hear, he and the pack—and I was actually glad the rest of the pack looked reluctant to leave—they left me there with my stranger.

Seth's voice startled me. "I won't leave you, Leah. Sam might think you're betraying the pack but I think he's wrong. I mean, what does he know? He's just a grumpy old wolf."

His attempt to make me laugh worked. But it was only a sad chuckle. If Seth stayed, Sam would be furious with him and I knew that would be incredibly bad. One, Seth didn't deserve it. And two, Seth wouldn't be able to deny the Alpha command for too long.

I walked up to my brother and put my arms around him, hugging him closely to me. "I love you, kid. But you do seriously have to go. Sam's already mega pissed at me, no need for him to be mad at you as well."

He laughed, "Pshh, please. I can take him."

"I'd like to see you try," I said, ruffling his hair. "Now, go."

"All right… But come home as soon as you get things worked out. Got it?"

"Got it."

Seth nodded once, glancing behind me and sending an untrusting glare at the vampire. His eyes never left me as he slowly backed into the shadows of the forest, and then as a breeze rustled the leaves around us, he was gone.

Why did I feel suddenly terrified to be alone with the enemy? I had no clue on how to even go about the subject of talking to him. Ah, this was just going to be a very long night.

"You didn't have to stand up for me, you know. I could have handled it."

His voice was silky and calm as it reached my ears. It wasn't harsh or mean, but soft and delicate. I was never one who had a loss of words, but for once . . . I did not have any clue on what to say. "They were going to kill you." Oh, great, Leah. Way to state the obvious.

"I know, but I could have escaped. Not that I'm not grateful that you stood up against your brothers for me."

"Yeah, whatever. Just consider yourself lucky that I didn't bite your head off when I attacked."

He laughed and the sound rang through out the trees like an endless song. It filled me with a happiness that I longed to struggle away from, but I could not. I wanted to never make him stop laughing, I wanted to always say some witty comment that would have him chuckling forever. Oh, wow, that was definitely not like me.

"Please, allow me to introduce myself." He held out his hand. "I'm Erik, Erik Knight."

I contemplated actually taking his hand, but in the end I couldn't help myself as I grasped his cold stone grip. It fell right into place with mine, like a puzzle piece missing the support of another to hold it firmly in place. An electric current buzzed through me as our skin touched, like a chemical reaction. He was ice, and I was fire. We were polar opposites, but that didn't stop him from taking my hand and kissing the back of it gently.

"Very gentleman like," I complimented him as I my heart fluttered wildly at the touch of his marble lips.

"Why thank you. So, what's your name?"

I was about to release his hand and smack myself right in the middle of the forehead. Could I make myself look any more stupid? Yes, oh, yes I could. "My name is uh—uh…" Ah, crap.

_Leah Clearwater! Your name is Leah Clearwater, you idiot!_ I willed my subconscious to shut up as the smarter part of me criticized my stupid behavior. This was not the time to have an internal argument about how idiotic I was making myself look.

"My name is Leah Clearwater."

"Leah," he said my name as if he wanted to see how it sounded coming from his melodic voice. "Thank you for jumping to my rescue."

"Whatever. It's just what I do. I'm a protector of this forest."

It was quiet between us for a few moments, and I wondered if I should tell him about the imprint when another breeze flew through the woods. I caught a whiff of his scent, forgetting whom I was making small talk with, and I almost retched.

"You smell funny," we both said simultaneously and then froze looking at each other, staring into each other's eyes.

And then we burst out laughing, like someone said a hilariously funny joke. What was with me? He was my enemy! And he reeked. How could I be falling for him?

I took a fleeting look around at the trees in the forest, trying to forget about the pestering thoughts and emotions while I aimed to stop the on flow of laughter. It didn't take long; I don't really remember the last time I had laughed like this. But right now was different. It was like a light had been switched on inside of me and I felt like I was glowing. All I wanted to do was take the time to get to know this stranger. Even if every instinct I had ever followed told me he was my sworn enemy, I knew I could not just let him walk out of my life like Sam expected. I, for once, could not follow Sam in his decision. And I did not care. Erik was different. There was something in this vampire that I never saw in any other before and it made him better than the rest. If he was meant to be mine, then I was meant to be his. But how could we ever be together when I knew my pack was never going to understand, no matter how hard I wished they would. Why was this so difficult? Why me? I didn't want this! I didn't want any of this! I was scared and I didn't want my friends and family to look at me like I'd gone over to the dark side. I hated vampires! What made this one so better than the rest? I knew there was something . . . but _what?_ Ugh, I had issues. Maybe I needed therapy.

I glanced back over at Erik where he was still trying to pull himself together enough to be able to breathe again. He ran his hand through his windblown hair, while he regained his control. He really was the most beautiful creature I'd ever seen.

"Why you'd do it," he asked between gulps of breath.

"Do what?" Even though I asked the question I thought I knew what it was he wanted to know.

"Why you tried to protect me after you yourself attacked me."

"Because I imprinted on you . . . and I couldn't let you get killed."

It was easy to tell him. There wasn't anything I couldn't hide from him now. Every secret was out the window. He would know everything eventually, and I knew I could trust him. Yes, I had known him for less than, what? Five minutes? But that did not change anything. We shared a bond that was made ten times more powerful than Emily and Sam's, or Quil's and Claire's. It was because we were both abnormal beings. It didn't take a rocket science to figure that one out.

"I've heard about that. It's something werewolves do, isn't it?"

"Yes. Wait—no, no. It's not." My voice stuttered as I considered how to explain. "Imprinting is not something we can control. It takes place whenever your eyes lock with your imprint for the first time after the Change. It feels like finding your soul mate."

"So, it's like love at first sight?" I knew Erik was trying to hide the cynical tone in his voice and even though this would have annoyed me before I'd imprinted, I didn't care now.

"Yeah, I guess you call it that, but it's stronger than those fairytale love stories about love at first sight."

"Are you the first to imprint?"

"No. There's others in the pack that have." I had a feeling I knew what was coming next.

"Then why did your pack act as if you'd just committed a felony? Besides that kid who ran off a few minutes ago."

Damn. "Because, Erik, you're a vampire. And I'm a werewolf. We're suppose to be sworn enemies. Imprinting with the enemy isn't quite what my pack would call the best relationship."

"What would you call it, Leah?" His sparkling pale blue eyes locked with mine again and my breathing became incredibly shallow. I didn't know how to answer as he walked gallantly over to my side, taking my hand. Heck, I had no idea what I was even feeling, except that this vampire made me experience things I had never felt for anyone before. Even Sam. Just by looking into his eyes, my stomach fluttered nervously with butterflies and a layer of heavy sweat appeared on my brow as I tried to conjure up what he had in store for me as he leaned his head down to mine. His lips brushed softly against my ear and his cool breath blew across my neck. I shivered involuntarily from the chills he sent down my spine. "What would you call our fifteen minute _relationship_?"

His whisper sent a jolt through my mind and body and suddenly I had an impulse to kiss him. My head was fuzzy from the confusion but I willed my mind to take control as he gently brushed a figure down the side of my face, caressing my sun kissed skin. I closed my eyes, refusing to let myself get anymore engrossed in his gaze. What was happening to me? Was he using me? My eyes flashed open at the thought, and I could feel them glowing. All of a sudden I was dreadfully upset with Erik. I unquestionably did not like being used.

"Do you always bewitch your prey before you attack, leech?" The words slipped from my mouth like a river and I automatically regretted the outburst.

Erik's eyes abruptly turned ice old. "I'm not trying to bewitch you. And I'm definitely not going to suck your blood, dog. If I wanted to kill you, you'd be dead by now."

This puzzled me. "You're saying that you _don't_ want to rip my throat out?"

"No, I don't," he looked like I had just slapped him across the face. "Why would I? What have you ever done to me to make me want to kill you? I'm not like other vampires, Leah. I don't kill to survive. I get blood by other means."

"You don't kill to survive? Really? Then what do you call that?" I pointed to the dead deer at his feet.

"It was necessary."

I sneered. "Oh, I'm sure it was."

Erik was suddenly in my face, his strong hands holding my head still so I would not look away from his stare and his fuming eyes. "You. Don't. Know. Anything."

"Please! It's in your nature to want to kill the innocent."

"I am not an uncompassionate shrew, though."

"Ha! Don't make me laugh! If you can tell me that when you saw that deer, that you felt an ounce of pity for the life you were about to destroy, then maybe I might believe you. But I have never met a vampire who thought about what they were doing when they hunted. Even the coven that lives down the street, they don't even care for the lives they take away every month. Yes, they don't hunt humans, and sure, they might be great people . . . But I don't see them mourning for the lives they've taken away from the animals. Maybe I over react, but that's because I have a connection with this forest. I care for the life that lives here, the lives that thrive on this land. So, when you can tell me that taking this creature's life meant something to you, touched some part of that stone heart that you all have, then yeah, I'll admit I don't know anything." I was practically panting at the end of my rant, my eyes watering as my angry emotions got the best of me. This wasn't going the way I planned.

Erik let go of my head in a rush of movement, putting at least two feet of space between us. I knew I was trembling; shaking with the anger that I ever thought his vampire could be different. He was just like the rest of them! Selfish and unloving. _Unemotional parasite, _I wanted to yell at him.

But then his soothing voice pierced the silence, and when he spoke he didn't sound upset or frustrated like he had before. He sounded brave and confident, and the harmonious sound his voice brought to me, calmed me down easily, though I resisted away from the serenity. "If you will not believe me when I tell you I'm not an uncompassionate creature… Then you leave me no choice, Leah Clearwater. I'm going to have to show you."

With three giant strides, Erik closed the space between us. He took my chin in his hand, and lifted my face to his. I shivered again at his sub-zero touch, but I didn't reject the contact. If I had known what he was about to do I might have stopped it, but his eyes scorched my own free will and I knew that I would never be able to really get away from him. Erik and I were part of one destiny, our separate paths now intertwining to make one single life.

Then Erik lowered his face as he closed his sparkling eyes. I mimicked his actions as I forgot about my earlier irritation and I tiptoed only slightly so I was more even with him, unpredictably eager for what was to come. And with obvious finality, Erik pressed his cold marble lips to mine.

— —

_Sooooooo? What did you think?! That was kind of one of my longer chapters. Haha. Well, I want your feedback! If you guys don't review than I am not updating! –evil laugh- So, please make me happy and review!! :D Thanks!! Love you guys!_

_Oh! And if anyone has any suggestions they would like to make, please do not hesitate to message me or just leave a review! Again, thanks a bunch!_


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